Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Mularkey looks at the scoreboard during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)NASHVILLE - Tennessee Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk shot down speculation Mike Mularkey's job is at risk, saying the team's head coach is going nowhere after helping change its culture and leading the franchise to its first playoff victory in 14 years.
National reports first had Mularkey potentially fired if the Titans lost their regular-season finale against Jacksonville and again if Tennessee lost its AFC wild-card playoff game this past Saturday at Kansas City. The Titans pulled off a major comeback after trailing 21-3 at halftime, winning 22-21 to set up a trip to top-seeded New England (13-3) this Saturday.
On Sunday, Strunk tried to stop all of the talk by releasing a statement on Mularkey's job security.
"I regret that outside rumors gained a life of their own," Strunk said. "No one has been a bigger supporter of Mike Mularkey than I have over the last two-plus seasons. ... Just to eliminate any distractions moving forward, Mike Mularkey is our head coach and will be our head coach moving forward."
Strunk made Mularkey interim head coach in November 2015 after firing Ken Whisenhunt, who went 3-20 in his short tenure. Mularkey went 2-7 before Strunk gave him a three-year contract as head coach in January 2016, two days after hiring Jon Robinson as general manager.
Mularkey addressed the reports his job was on the line after the Titans beat the Chiefs, calling them "ridiculous" and saying he didn't think they were fair to his family.
"No," Mularkey said of whether he felt secure no matter what the outcome of the game in Kansas City. "I haven't had any support to say that I was. No. I just assumed the worst."
Hours after Strunk's statement of support, Mularkey said the Titans "absolutely" are on the same page. He also called the owner's statement nice and said he had only wanted to talk after the game about the Titans beating a good team at its home stadium.
Asked if the statement has put his mind at ease, Mularkey said he has addressed the situation with his staff and won't talk about it anymore.
"I'm already onto New England," Mularkey said. "It's been addressed, and I'm full speed ahead getting ready for New England with our staff."